from NewsOne.com
Op-Ed
Blame Obama for Oprah's Ratings?
by Mark Anthony Neal
For much of her public life, Oprah Winfrey has stood clear of electoral politics, no doubt, because her audience covers a full range of the political spectrum. Thus Winfrey's public support of Senator Barack Obama and subsequent campaign stops earlier this year, raised more than a few eyebrows. Would Winfrey's foray into politics impact the media empire that she has built? Recent ratings suggest cracks in the Winfrey empire, though it remains to be seen how much can be attributed to public support of Barack Obama.
Reports that The Oprah Winfrey Show has lost some two million viewers over the past few years and that, according to Nielsen Media Research, her audience is down 7% since last fall, could be attributed to a range of factors. Younger audiences, for example, are increasingly drawn to YouTube. Also, after more than 20 years on air, the show might be showing natural audience fatigue. The same explanations could be made for Winfrey's O Magazine, whose circulation is down 10% over the past few years. But ours is not an ordinary historical moment.
Winfrey's unprecedented move to support Obama has to be factored into the erosion of her popularity. A specific source of the backlash can be attributed to legions of middle-aged white women who are dismayed that the icon chose to support Obama over Senator Hillary Clinton. Part of their reaction speaks to the fact that for many in Winfrey's core audience, gender overshadows her racial identity.
Reports that The Oprah Winfrey Show has lost some two million viewers over the past few years and that, according to Nielsen Media Research, her audience is down 7% since last fall, could be attributed to a range of factors. Younger audiences, for example, are increasingly drawn to YouTube. Also, after more than 20 years on air, the show might be showing natural audience fatigue. The same explanations could be made for Winfrey's O Magazine, whose circulation is down 10% over the past few years. But ours is not an ordinary historical moment.
Winfrey's unprecedented move to support Obama has to be factored into the erosion of her popularity. A specific source of the backlash can be attributed to legions of middle-aged white women who are dismayed that the icon chose to support Obama over Senator Hillary Clinton. Part of their reaction speaks to the fact that for many in Winfrey's core audience, gender overshadows her racial identity.
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Also: Gallery--When Celebs Get Political
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